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February 10, 2007
Peace Alliance had a Fantastic Conference
Dear Friends,
On February 3 - 5, 2007, the Peace Alliance had a fantastic conference in Washington DC, campaigning for legislation to create a US Dept. of Peace. We had a sold out crowd, with over two hundred and fifty meetings at Congressional offices. Joaquin Phoenix attended; Steven Tyler of Aerosmith performed; Deepak Chopra spoke. It was very successful and exciting.
Over two hundred US colleges and universities give advanced degrees in Peacebuilding Studies-- skills ranging from conflict resolution and non-violent communication skills to international projects in cross-cultural and interreligious healing. While there has been an explosion of this kind of expertise in the United States over the last twenty years, with proven records and best-practices techniques at violence prevention and reduction, it has no institutional platform or institutional heft within the functioning of the US government. Relatively small projects do exist within certain departments, and of course there are privately funded efforts all over the country. But with no unified platform, there is no structure to co-ordinate or synergize this wealth of talent, lifting it to anywhere near the maximal level of efficacy it could have at saving people's lives here and abroad.
We're already making inroads in DC, and there is a grassroots movement -- a new kind of peace movement, actually -- forming the basis for a social if not political constituency for the proactive cultivation of peace. Please check out www.thepeacealliance.org for ways that you can join in and make a difference. Violence is a fire that is threatening to engulf us. And we need not stand by. There is water all around....
All my best,
Marianne
Posted by mwblog at February 10, 2007 11:57 AM
